Should New Jersey schools ban smartphones for the new school year?

Gone are the days when you could only focus on your daily lessons during class. These days, both students and teachers alike face so many distractions that undoubtedly have a negative impact on the overall school learning experience. I’m talking about smartphones.

Smartphones weren’t as popular in the early 2000s-mid-2010s as they are today. No child is without an iPhone or Android these days. You better believe they won’t even go to school without them.

It’s understandable that parents would want their children to have their phones with them at all times. Scary situations can (and do) happen. God forbid something terrifying happens at your child’s school, you want them to be able to call you.

The problem is that today’s students don’t just use their phones in class for emergencies. They are on them throughout the lesson, often not paying attention to what is being taught or only taking in bits and pieces.

There is a pretty solid argument for not allowing smartphones in the classroom at all.

First, studies have shown that when students use smartphones during class, their ability to retain information decreases. This is because the brain is constantly switching between tasks, making it harder to remember all this new information.

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It is not only the students who are affected, but also the teachers.

Teachers often have to compete with smartphones for students’ attention. If students are distracted, the teacher may need to repeat instructions or take frequent breaks to get everyone back on track, which disrupts the flow of the lesson.

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South Jersey school district bans smartphones for 2024-2025 school year

Managing a classroom where students are on their phones can be challenging. It could lead to more behavior problems and disrupt the overall learning environment. Teachers spend time dealing with these distractions instead of focusing on teaching. Think of it this way: if students are busy on their phones, it’s harder for teachers to gauge understanding and address any issues that arise during the lesson.

No one denies that smartphones can be useful tools, but their presence in the classroom often leads to distractions that hinder both learning and teaching. By keeping them out of the classroom, everyone benefits from a more focused, effective, and efficient educational experience. That’s what one South Jersey school district has already done, banning all devices that “send or receive wireless voice or data.”

This also includes smart watches, headphones and wireless headphones.

Tell us what you think! Should all smart devices be banned in NJ schools? Take the survey: